Matthew R. Henderson
Matthew R. Henderson
Partner
"Defending professionals requires more than legal knowledge—it requires diligence, passion, and a deep respect for the work our clients do."

Matthew R. Henderson
Partner
"Defending professionals requires more than legal knowledge—it requires diligence, passion, and a deep respect for the work our clients do."
About Matt
Matt concentrates his practice in the representation of attorneys in all aspects of professional liability and ethics, including the defense of legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty actions, providing risk management and legal ethics advice, defending lawyer disciplinary proceedings, and litigating attorney fee disputes and sanctions motions.
Matt's practice also includes representing employers in litigated matters, including the defense of discrimination and wage withholding claims. He regularly represents real estate professionals, accountants, and technology companies in negligence cases. He likewise has extensive experience in consumer class action cases, including actions brought under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
Areas of Focus
Experience
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Obtained dismissal of action against an attorney and law firm for tortious interference with contract in the Northern District of Illinois on the basis that the claim was barred by the two-year statute of limitations for actions against attorneys.
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Secured dismissal of a case against municipal officers and trustees for tortious interference with contract in the Circuit Court of Cook County on the basis of a qualified privilege. The court also sanctioned opposing counsel $20,000 for citing to AI hallucinated cases in the response.
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Obtained dismissal of an action against a lawyer for legal malpractice in the Circuit Court of DuPage County on the basis that the claim was barred by the two-year statute of limitations measured from the date that the client made a request for investigation to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. That ruling is on appeal to the Third District.
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Secured dismissal of a legal malpractice case against a Tennessee attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri for allegedly mishandling the prosecution and settlement of a Worker’s Compensation matter on the basis that it was barred by the one-year Tennessee statute of limitations for legal malpractice actions. That ruling is on appeal to the Eighth Circuit.
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Represented 300 attorney law firm and attorney a two and a half week jury trial in a legal malpractice case in St. Louis County arising from the representation of a client in an underling divorce and child custody proceeding which resulted in a $2 million verdict in favor of plaintiff. The jury verdict is on appeal to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District.
Recognition
- Leading Lawyer, Commercial Litigation; Professional Malpractice Defense Law
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Peer Review Rating
Credentials
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, JD, cum laude, 1992
- University of Notre Dame, BA, cum laude, 1989
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- US District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Thought Leadership
Presentations
Matt's speeches and presentations include:
- Moderator, "The Domino Effect: Malpractice Risks Tied to Outcomes in Related Litigation," Hinshaw's 25th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management Conference (LMRM), Chicago, Illinois, March 4, 2026
- Panelist, "Identifying and Addressing Conflicts of Interest," Practising Law Institute, Chicago, Illinois, May 7, 2025
- Moderator, "The Endgame," Hinshaw's 24th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management (LMRM) Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 6, 2025
- Co-Presenter, "Legal Malpractice Top Ten Traps," Multnomah Bar Association, CLE Webinar, September 24, 2024
- Panelist, "Disqualification of Counsel—When the Client’s Right to Counsel is Taken Away," Annual Meeting, Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL), Chicago, Illinois, August 2, 2024
Events
- 25th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management (LMRM) Conference, Mar 3 – 5, 2026
- Matthew Henderson to Present on Attorney Disqualification Motions at APRL's Annual Conference, Aug 2, 2024
- Robert Buchholz and Matthew Henderson Recently Conducted an Interactive Presentation on Attorney Ethics and "What Not To Do", Jun 21, 2022
- An American Expat's View on European Security, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | 3:30 p.m. PDT | 4:30 p.m. MDT | 5:30 p.m. CDT | 6:30 p.m. EDT
In The News
- Matt Henderson Provides Media Insights as Conflict of Interest Lawsuits Target Law Firms, Apr 28, 2026
- Hinshaw Attorneys Contribute Six Chapters to the "Attorneys’ Legal Liability" IICLE Handbook, Jun 12, 2025
- Matthew Henderson Says Recent Bellwether Decisions Enforcing Advance Conflict-of-Interest Waivers Represent a Trend Favorable to Law Firms, Dec 17, 2024
- Matthew Henderson Reviews in a Law360 Byline What Law Firms Should Know Amid a Rise in Disqualification Motions, Apr 30, 2024
- A Berkley Select Panel Presentation Featuring Matthew Henderson was the Subject of the Most-Viewed PLUS Blog Post in 2023, Jan 3, 2024
Lawyers for the Profession® Alert
Lawyers' Lawyer Newsletters
- Beyond Malpractice: The Rising Threat of Privacy and Statutory Claims Against Lawyers, Jun 29, 2026
- Law Firm Best Practices to Mitigate the Increasing Risk of Attorney Disqualification Motions, Oct 15, 2024
- Identifying and Resolving Conflicts of Interest: Three Simple Rules, January/February 2023
- The Lawyers' Lawyer Newsletter - Recent Developments in Risk Management - May 2016 Edition, May 3, 2016
Thought Leadership
Presentations
Matt's speeches and presentations include:
- Moderator, "The Domino Effect: Malpractice Risks Tied to Outcomes in Related Litigation," Hinshaw's 25th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management Conference (LMRM), Chicago, Illinois, March 4, 2026
- Panelist, "Identifying and Addressing Conflicts of Interest," Practising Law Institute, Chicago, Illinois, May 7, 2025
- Moderator, "The Endgame," Hinshaw's 24th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management (LMRM) Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 6, 2025
- Co-Presenter, "Legal Malpractice Top Ten Traps," Multnomah Bar Association, CLE Webinar, September 24, 2024
- Panelist, "Disqualification of Counsel—When the Client’s Right to Counsel is Taken Away," Annual Meeting, Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL), Chicago, Illinois, August 2, 2024
Events
- 25th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management (LMRM) Conference, Mar 3 – 5, 2026
- Matthew Henderson to Present on Attorney Disqualification Motions at APRL's Annual Conference, Aug 2, 2024
- Robert Buchholz and Matthew Henderson Recently Conducted an Interactive Presentation on Attorney Ethics and "What Not To Do", Jun 21, 2022
- An American Expat's View on European Security, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | 3:30 p.m. PDT | 4:30 p.m. MDT | 5:30 p.m. CDT | 6:30 p.m. EDT
In The News
- Matt Henderson Provides Media Insights as Conflict of Interest Lawsuits Target Law Firms, Apr 28, 2026
- Hinshaw Attorneys Contribute Six Chapters to the "Attorneys’ Legal Liability" IICLE Handbook, Jun 12, 2025
- Matthew Henderson Says Recent Bellwether Decisions Enforcing Advance Conflict-of-Interest Waivers Represent a Trend Favorable to Law Firms, Dec 17, 2024
- Matthew Henderson Reviews in a Law360 Byline What Law Firms Should Know Amid a Rise in Disqualification Motions, Apr 30, 2024
- A Berkley Select Panel Presentation Featuring Matthew Henderson was the Subject of the Most-Viewed PLUS Blog Post in 2023, Jan 3, 2024
Lawyers for the Profession® Alert
Lawyers' Lawyer Newsletters
- Beyond Malpractice: The Rising Threat of Privacy and Statutory Claims Against Lawyers, Jun 29, 2026
- Law Firm Best Practices to Mitigate the Increasing Risk of Attorney Disqualification Motions, Oct 15, 2024
- Identifying and Resolving Conflicts of Interest: Three Simple Rules, January/February 2023
- The Lawyers' Lawyer Newsletter - Recent Developments in Risk Management - May 2016 Edition, May 3, 2016
Matt's Insights

Lawyers' Lawyer Newsletter
Jun 29, 2026
Beyond Malpractice: The Rising Threat of Privacy and Statutory Claims Against Lawyers

In The News
Apr 28, 2026
Matt Henderson Provides Media Insights as Conflict of Interest Lawsuits Target Law Firms

Event
Mar 3 – 5, 2026
25th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management (LMRM) Conference

In The News
Jun 12, 2025
Hinshaw Attorneys Contribute Six Chapters to the "Attorneys’ Legal Liability" IICLE Handbook

Lawyers for the Profession® Alert
Dec 30, 2024
Hinshaw Readers' Choice Awards: Top Professional Liability and Legal Ethics Articles of 2024

Lawyers' Lawyer Newsletter
Oct 15, 2024
Law Firm Best Practices to Mitigate the Increasing Risk of Attorney Disqualification Motions

Lawyers' Lawyer Newsletter
January/February 2023
Identifying and Resolving Conflicts of Interest: Three Simple Rules

